Game apparatus



Aug. 25 3924. 1,506,171

' c. FILBERG GAME APPARATUS Filed Jan, 5, 1922 I N VEN TOR:

A TTORNEYS' Patented Aug. 26, 1924.

UNITED STATES CHRISTIAN FILBERG, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

GAME APPARATUS.

Application filed January 5, 1922.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN FILBERG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to apparatus more especially useful in playing a game commonly called bat out and catch.

In this game, one of the players bats a ball into a field occupied by one or more companion players, to any of whom, as a consequence of making a successful catch, is accorded the privilege of changing places with the batter.

The main object of my invention is to facilitate the action of the batter by rendering it easier for him to hit the ball than possible through vertical projection obtained by bouncing as ordinarily practiced. How this desideratum may be attained will be readily understood from the detailed description of a typical embodiment of my invention which follows.

In the drawings, Fig. I is a perspective View showing the manner in which my improved game apparatus is used.

Fig. II is an elevation of one of the elements of the apparatus, a portion of the same being broken away and shown in section to illustrate certain important details to better advantage; and

Fig. III is a cross section of the element aforesaid taken as indicated at III-III in Fig. II.

As herein shown the game. apparatus comprises an element 1 which may be conveniently termed a projector; and a but 10 which is to be used first, in striking the projector, in a manner to be later explained, to effect vertical. projection of a ball or other object indicated at 15, and subsequently, in hitting the ball to drive the same in a horizontal direction. The projector, it will be. noted, is in the form of an elongated block, and in reality is made of a tough kind of wood or other suitable material snfficiently tenacious to withstand blows without fracture or distortion. Approximately midway of its length, the projector has at its bottom transversely extending edge 2 formed by the meeting of two faces 34= disposed at an obtuse angle Serial No. 527,080.

to one another. By virtue of this construction, the projector is-rendered capable of rocking about the edge 2 as a fulcrum, but

only through a restricted arc whose limits are defined by full engagement or contact of the sloping faces 3, 4 with the ground. A portion of the top surface at one extremity of the projector is depressed at a slight declination as indicated at 5, with resulting production of an upstanding end projection 6. Said projection serves as a guard to assist in temporarily retaining the ball in a cavity or seat 7 in the depression 51. In order to lighten the weight of the ball. sustaining extremity of the projector for a purpose which will be presently explained, it is hollowed out or gouged from beneath as clearly shown at 8 in Figs. II and III.

The bat 10 has a broad flat body portion 11 whose opposite faces are fluted or corrugated longitudinally as conventionally represented in Fig. I for better engaging the ball and preventing slipping when hitting. and its shank or handle 12 is appropriately rounded for convenience of grasping.

In using the apparatus, the ball is first placed within the receiving seat 7 as shown in FigsfI and II and causes overweighting of the corresponding end of the ejector so that the latter is obliged to rest upon the bottom face 4 with its opposite or free end poised above the ground level. Upon striking its free end, with the bat 1.0, the projector is rocked about the fulcrum edge 2 and its motion is immediately thereafter, suddenly arrested when its bottom face 3 comes into contact with the ground. As a consequence of this action, the ball is instantaneously released and projected vertically while at the same time, the projector is prevented from leaving the ground. By lightening the ball sustaining end of the projector as previously explained, the resistive effect due to its inertia. in opposition to the striking force imparted by the bat, is greatly minimized. When the ball is projected as described, it can be easily hit by a subsequent swing of the bat because of the fact that the batter is not obliged to change from one position to another in manner invariably necessitated when the ball is projected by bouncing.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

In a game apparatus of the kind hereinbefore described, a block of obtuse-angled longitudinal section providing a trans-verse fulcrumwvher'eon said block may be rocked when struck at the elevated end, the top surface of the opposite end of said block being declined outwardly to "anupstarfdi'ng transverse end projection of a height closely aligning with the axis of the ball to be used with said block whereby the Vertical projection of said ball is aided when the opposed end. of the =bloc'k is struck, a concavity --adjae ent,;thereto v.providing ball seat, -the -forward end iof sjaid block having the underside longitudinally hollowed-out to lighten t'heball'sus-taining end thereof so as to oppose a striking force 15 CHRISTIAN FILBERG. 

